1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image formation apparatus for designating double-face print to image information and performing double-face image formation on a fed recording medium, a method for controlling the image formation apparatus, and a method for controlling image data rotation.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, as an image formation apparatus of the above type, there has been proposed the apparatus capable of performing a finishing operation including a sorting process, a stapling process and the like. Some of these apparatuses have been already commercially available. In a case where a computer performs printing by using such the image formation apparatus, it is possible on a computer screen to designate a finishing function (including sorting function, stapling function and the like) and a double-face mode (including later-described long edge binding double-face mode in FIG. 9A, later-described short edge binding double-face mode in FIG. 9B and the like), and then perform double-face output.
Hereinafter, the double-face modes, drawing directions, sheet (or paper) feed directions will be explained with reference to FIGS. 9A, 9B, 10A, 10B, 11A and 11B.
Each of FIGS. 9A and 9B is the diagram showing the relation between the double-face mode and an image formation direction. FIG. 9A corresponds to the long edge binding double-face mode, and FIG. 9B corresponds to the short edge binding double-face mode.
In the long edge binding double-face mode shown in FIG. 9A, double-face print is performed such that the image directions on the front and back faces of the sheet are identical with each other in the state that the sheet stands.
On the other hand, in the short edge binding double-face mode shown in FIG. 9B, the double-face print is performed such that the image direction on the front face of the sheet is opposite (by 180xc2x0) to that on the back face thereof in the state the sheet stands.
Each of FIGS. 10A and 10B is the diagram showing the relation between the sheet direction and the image direction on the sheet. FIG. 10A corresponds to the drawing in a portrait direction (referred as portrait drawing hereinafter), and FIG. 10B corresponds to the drawing in a landscape direction (referred as landscape drawing hereinafter).
Each of FIGS. 11A and 11B is the diagram showing the relation between the sheet direction and a sheet feed direction. FIG. 11A corresponds to the long edge feed, and FIG. 11B corresponds to the short edge feed.
In such the conventional image formation apparatus, in case of controlling the double-face output, the designation of the double-face mode such as the long edge binding double-face mode or the short edge binding double-face mode is performed to the entire document to be outputted. However, since it is possible to designate the sheet sizes (e.g., A3, A4, B4, B5 and the like) and the drawing directions (e.g., portrait drawing and landscape drawing) for each page, it is possible to mixedly designate the drawing for the plural different-size sheets in the single document.
For this reason, in the conventional image formation apparatus, there sometimes occurs that binding directions conflict with others among plural mixed sheet sizes if the double-face output is designated for the entire document.
Hereinafter, it will be explained a case where the A4-size portrait drawing and the A3-size landscape drawing mixedly exist within a single document, with reference to FIGS. 12A, 12B, 13A, 13B, 14A and 14B.
FIGS. 12A and 12B are the diagrams showing the output result obtained when the portrait drawing is. performed to the first to fourth pages of the A4-size long edge feed sheets. FIG. 12A shows the state that the output results are bound into a sheaf, and FIG. 12B shows the state that the second and third pages of the output results are spread.
FIGS. 13A and 13B are the diagrams showing the output result obtained when the landscape drawing is performed to the fifth to eighth pages of the A3-size short edge feed sheets. FIG. 13A shows the state that the output results are bound into a sheaf, and FIG. 13B shows the state that the sixth and seventh pages of the output results are spread.
FIGS. 14A and 14B are the diagrams showing the state that the output result of the first to fourth pages of the A4-size long edge feed sheets in the portrait drawing of FIGS. 12A and 12B and the output result of the fifth to eighth pages of the A3-size short edge feed sheets in the landscape drawing of FIGS. 13A and 13B are bound into a sheaf. FIG. 14A shows the state that these output results are bound into the sheaf, and FIG. 14B shows the state that the sixth and seventh pages of the output results are spread. It FIG. 14B, the sixth page is bound upside down.
As shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, the A4-size sheet is fed in a long edge feed manner and subjected to the portrait drawing, the A3-size sheet is fed in the short edge feed manner and subjected to the landscape drawing. The fed sheets are then bound into the sheaf. In this case, the drawing directions on the front and back faces of the A4-size sheet is different from those on the front and back faces of the A3-size sheet.
This is because the drawing in the long edge binding double-face mode is designated for both the A3- and A4-size sheets. As shown in FIG. 14B, the sixth and eighth pages (i.e., even pages) of the A3-size sheets are thus bound upside down.
On the other hand, it will explained a case where the short edge binding double-face mode is designated to the document and further the A4-size portrait drawing and the A3-size landscape drawing mixedly exist within the single document.
In this case, since the drawing in the short edge binding double-face mode is designated to both the A3- and A4-size sheets, the second page (i.e., even page) of the A4-size sheet is bound upside down.
As above, in the conventional image formation apparatus, in the case where the different sheet sizes mixedly exist, if the double-face binding direction is designated for the entire document irrespective of the different sizes, there sometimes occurs that the binding directions resultingly conflict with others.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image formation apparatus capable of solving the above problems, a method for controlling the image formation apparatus, and a method for controlling image data rotation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image formation apparatus capable of obtaining an optimum double-face print output result in which binding directions are coordinated even if plural sheet sizes mixedly exist within a single document, a method for controlling the image formation apparatus, and a method for controlling image data rotation.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the attached drawings.